Far-Left activist arrested over arson attack that destroyed town hall during French riots is prosecuted for 'attempting to murder a policeman'
A far-left activist accused of setting fire to a French town hall during riots has been charged with the attempted murder of a police officer, prosecutors announced.
The investigation into the destruction of Limoges City Hall has escalated, with prosecutors now accusing the suspect of a more serious crime.
Hodei Ciarra Docampo, 34, is being prosecuted for 'attempting to murder a person holding public authority' after investigators linked him to the fire that collapsed the building's roof and belfry.
He was arrested by the elite RAID counter-terrorism unit at dawn at his parents' home in Val d'Issoire, 30 miles north of Limoges, and is being held for another 48 hours.
Limoges public prosecutor Emilie Abrantes said the extension of custody was justified by a 'meticulous work of the investigators' and a detailed analysis of the incident's chronology.
Evidence and links to extremist groups
Prosecutors allege that Docampo wore a black balaclava, ski goggles, and a bucket hat while tending to the blaze at the historic town hall.
He is also linked to the ultra-Left extremist group Les Soulèvements de la Terre and was on a terror watchlist.
The mayor of Limoges, Guillaume Guerin, has labelled the attack as unacceptable and has accused the group of being the mastermind behind the destruction.
The involvement of the far-Left has been clear from the start in this fire. You don't destroy a 200-year-old building in a few hours with a box of matches and a lighter.
Guerin claimed the activists brought fireworks, mortars, and battering rams to break the building's doors down, stating that such items could not have been carried in a backpack.
A second man, a 66-year-old with no known political affiliations, was arrested in Bordeaux on charges of 'organised destruction of property by means dangerous to persons'.
Family history of arson
Arson appears to run in the family, as Docampo's father, 70-year-old Basque separatist Fernando Ciarra, was sentenced to three years in prison last April for arson attacks in Limoges.
Fernando Ciarra was convicted of torching eight vehicles belonging to the energy firm Enedis in February 2020 and carried out attacks on a broadcast station and mobile phone tower.
The attack on the town hall came on a night of chaos in which thousands of masked looters ransacked shops and businesses across France.
The mayor has since called for a 'full reconstruction' of the building, whose facade is still standing but at risk of collapse.
Government response and nationwide unrest
French authorities have imposed bans or restrictions on fresh protests springing up in the wake of last weekend's demonstrations.
President Emmanuel Macron said curfews and other security measures would be imposed, including bans on 'groups without legitimacy' holding protests.
The worst of the violence, Macron said, 'was led by organised ultra-Left groups aiming to bring down the republic'.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin reported that 174 people of the 2,500 arrested since last weekend had been locked up, and more than 900 were being prosecuted.
Prime minister Sebastien Lecornu is set to host a meeting of top officials from France's main parties to hear their grievances and seek co-operation.
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